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Anders Åslund Profile picture
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20 Aug, 4 tweets, 1 min read
The Biden administration has issued more dubious Russia sanctions on Nord Stream 2: 12 ships & 5 entities (?) but not Nord Stream 2 AG so the work can be completed. This appears just a cloud of fog. Why? Is the intention to let Russia complete NS2? Say so!
home.treasury.gov/policy-issues/…
"U.S. slaps sanctions on Nord Stream 2, project's opponents say not enough."
reuters.com/world/us-issue…
In order to confuse us, Treasury has thrown in Navalny sanctions and non-proliferation sanctions in the same statement. It would be better for the cause if the administration explained rather than confused its policy. This in itself requires an explanation.
The obvious consequence of the administration's new go-ahead for NS2 is that Senators Ted Cruz & Pat Toomey will not release their holds on State & Treasury Department appointments. But I oppose the principle of holds, I don't understand the Biden administration's actions.

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More from @anders_aslund

Anders Åslund Profile picture
4 Sep
Excellent article by David Kramer: "U.S. policymakers have consistently failed to see Putin as a true threat who will only stop when faced with serious pushback."
politico.com/news/magazine/…
"“playing nice” with Putin plays right into his playbook. While Biden may seek “predictability and stability” in the U.S.-Russia relationship, Putin’s end goal is precisely to stir up as much instability as possible."
David Kramer: "Every time the West responds weakly or not at all, he pushes even further with his destabilization efforts."
Conclusion: "Time to take the gloves off and go after the assets of Putin and his inner circle. Time to back up our warnings with actions."
Read 4 tweets
Anders Åslund Profile picture
1 Sep
The Joint Statement on the U.S.-Ukraine Strategic Partnership adopted today looks quite impressive.
whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/…
Most important is security. The headline is: "Standing up to Russian Aggression" "The United States and Ukraine have finalized a Strategic Defense Framework that creates a foundation for the enhancement of U.S.-Ukraine strategic defense and security cooperation"
The US "is announcing a new $60 million security assistance package, including additional Javelin anti-armor systems ... to enable Ukraine to more effectively defend itself against Russian aggression. more than $400 million this year alone."
Read 11 tweets
Anders Åslund Profile picture
20 Aug
The Biden administration's sanctions policy becomes increasingly incomprehensible. Today it imposed a 3rd round of sanctions according to the U.S. Chemical and Biological Control and Warfare Elimination Act of 1991...
home.treasury.gov/news/press-rel…
...but the US sanctioned only 9 low-level FSB officers & 4 domestic Russian entities, hurting nobody. These sanctions were much delayed. They should have gone after secondary trading of Russian sovereign debt & oligarchs, but did not. Why?! Explain!
Alexei Navalny stated yesterday: "the western establishment acts like Pavlov’s dog: you show them a colonel of the intelligence services and they yell, “Sanction him!”; you show them the oligarch paying the colonel, and they yell, “Invite him to Davos!”"
theguardian.com/commentisfree/…
Read 4 tweets
Anders Åslund Profile picture
15 Aug
Quick thoughts on the Western engagement in Afghanistan:
1. The West had to take out Al-Qaeda, but after having done so it should have left.
2. The massive US financing of Afghanistan was just a big waste & a corruption racket as CIGAR John Sopko has clarified.
3. Multiple US allies sent troops to Afghanistan & the US didn't thank them. Few in the US knows that there were more US allies than US troops in Afghanistan, so that gave little return.
4. For the future, the massive apparently corrupt loose-spending Pentagon operations that paid off the warlords must be stopped. You don't fight for democracy with warlords.
Read 5 tweets
Anders Åslund Profile picture
11 Aug
Great that Biden will convene a virtual summit of democracies, December 9-10! "defending against authoritarianism, fighting corruption, and promoting respect for human rights”.
washingtonpost.com/politics/biden…
Unfortunately, a White House official stated: “We’re not trying to define who’s a democracy and who isn’t,” “What we are really looking for as we engage in this outreach is some kind of will and ability to deliver on meaningful commitments to reinforce democracy and rights.”
This is exactly the wrong approach, just PR.
The US should demand prior clear commitments to specific values & measures. If a government does not accept that, its invitation should be withdrawn.
All democratic countries should be invited however small, but not big authoritarians.
Read 6 tweets
Anders Åslund Profile picture
6 Aug
GOP, the party of US destruction:
1. The biggest US problem is twice as high medical care costs as in the EU as share of GDP & 3 years shorter life expectancy because of extraordinary inefficiency. GOP wants to end Obamacare, the only improvement.
2. The US suffers from a unique crime epidemic because the sales of firearms increased by 40% last year. GOP opposes any restrictions on assault rifles, apparently hoping for more murders.
3. The US has excellent vaccines against Covid-19, so the GOP agitates against their usage so that more of their supporters can get ill and die.
Read 4 tweets

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